Colusa County Biographies
Peter Soren Peterson
This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm
Peter Soren Peterson, an honored pioneer of the State and one of
Colusa County�s best citizens, was born in Bornholm, Denmark, on December 23,
1820. His father was a school-master and hence aided young Peterson in
obtaining a practical education. At eighteen years of age he went out to the
Danish West Indies and secured employment as overseer on a sugar plantation,
remaining there and working in this capacity eleven years, on the islands of St.
Thomas, St. Croix and St. John. Hearing of the discovery of gold in California,
he left St. Thomas in April, 1850, on the packet ship �Shakespeare,� arriving at
San Francisco after a nine months� voyage. After working there a few months at
any odd job that presented itself, he set out for the mines, working with
success at Bartons Bar, on Yuba River, and subsequently at Long Bar and Parks
Bar. In 1856 he bought an interest in the Blue Cement mine, on Suckers Flat,
Yuba County, afterwards being associated in the same with Lot M. Rust, whose
sister Mr. Peterson married later on. He disposed of his interest in this mine
for a comfortable sum and then set about realizing the dream of his life, which
was to be an independent farmer. In August, 1868, he purchased a livery stable
in Colusa from John Culp, but ill health compelled him to sell out to Mr. Rust.
On July 13, 1869, he bought the Salt Lake ranch in company with John
Boggs and C. C. Crommer. This ranch is located on Funk Slough, in Antelope
Valley, just in the foot-hills some eleven miles west of Maxwell. This ranch
embraced nearly six thousand acres, and four thousand sheep and other stock were
grazing on it. Mr. Peterson took immediate possession and has ever since made
it his cozy, hospitable home. From time to time he added to his land
acquisition, and on March 2, 1874, he purchased W. H. Fountain�s ranch,
containing nine hundred and twenty acres, just north of the home place. On
February 14, 1877, he purchased the interest of John Boggs in the original Salt
Lake ranch, so that his landed possessions now embrace nine thousand one hundred
and seventy acres.
Mr. Peterson was married, February 1, 1870, to Miss Lida M. Rust, of
Palermo, Waldo County, Maine, by whom he has been blessed with four children.
Mr. Peterson is one of those energetic and progressive gentlemen
whose residence in a community always leaves an impression and gives an impetus
to its welfare. He was among the first to introduce Durham cattle in the
county, of which he has now a large band. He was an early advocate of railroads
in the county and is a large stockholder in the Colusa and Lake Road. In
politics he is an ardent Republican.
�Colusa County� � by Justus H. Rogers � Orland, CA � 1891 � pp 418-419